Effective PR on a Limited Budget

Though addressed to small businesses, this article has much to offer the economic development organization.

For small businesses with limited marketing budgets, conducting public-relations campaigns is a cost-efficient and often effective way to find new customers and boost a quality reputation. But few entrepreneurs know how to approach the press, what kinds of things to highlight about their businesses when they do, and whether they need to hire a PR firm. Georgette Pascale, president of Pascale Communications in Pittsburgh, went over some tricks of the trade recently with Smart Answers columnist Karen E. Klein. Edited excerpts of their conversation follow here.